Minnesota Wildflowers


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Helenium autumnale (Sneezeweed)

Plant Info
Also known as: Common Sneezeweed, Sneezewort, Swamp Sunflower
Genus:Helenium
Family:Asteraceae (Aster)
Life cycle:perennial
Origin:native
Habitat:sun; moist fields, swamps, along shores
Bloom season:August - October
Plant height:2 to 5 feet
USDA PLANTS database:Minnesota county distribution map
Spotted in Ramsey County at:

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Detailed Information

Flower: 7+petals panicle

[photo of flower] Up to 100 flowers per plant, each 1 to 2 inches across with 10 to 15 bright yellow petals. Each petal has 3 lobes at the tip. The ¾ to 1-inch round greenish-yellow center protrudes like a ball.

Leaves and stem: alternate simple

[photo of leaves and stem] Leaves are 3 to 6 inches long, ½ to 1 inch wide with widely spaced teeth and a pointed tip. The base of the leaf extends down the stem, giving a somewhat layered look.

Notes:

The bulbous flower center and unusual leaf attachment at the stem make this easy to identify. The photos here were taken as the flowers were beginning to fade, so the petals were a bit droopier than they would be had I gotten there a week or so earlier.

Where to buy native seed and plants

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  • Shop for native seeds and plants at PrairieMoon.com!

Map of native plant purveyors in the upper midwest

More photos

All photos taken at Long Lake Regional Park, New Brighton, MN, September 2006.

Comments

Have you seen this plant in Minnesota, or have any other comments about it?

Posted by: Alison in St. Paul, MN
on: 2010-07-07 11:45:51

Sneezeweed can be found at Lilydale Regional Park in Saint Paul, MN.

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